How to Keep Meeting Minutes for an S Corporation

by John Csiszar, Demand Media

Meeting minutes can be a useful record of your S corporation's progress.

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Meeting minutes are an official record of what was accomplished at a particular meeting. Unlike a tape recording, which reflects what was said at a meeting, minutes are meant to record only things that were done at a meeting. If you run an S corporation, you are not required by law to keep meeting minutes. However, they can be a good way to record the progress your company makes toward meeting corporate objectives. Minutes can also be useful as a legal record of corporate activities in the event of a lawsuit or tax audit.

Step 1

Get a copy of the meeting agenda in advance. Having the agenda in advance allows you to understand the flow and structure of the meeting and puts you in a better position to take accurate notes.

Step 2

Write down the administrative facts of the meeting. As an introduction to the actual minutes of the meeting, standard parliamentary procedure requires the notation of certain facts about the meeting. Include the name of the organization, the meeting time and place and whether the meeting was regular or special. The minutes should also include the names of those present, particularly the chairman and keeper of the minutes. For an S corporation, it is possible that the chairman and keeper of the minutes are one and the same, since S corporations are typically not very large.

Create an outline for your minutes based on the agenda of the meeting. The minutes you keep for your S corporation should follow the agenda of the meeting, so make a bullet point for each agenda item and then leave blank space where you can write the actual minutes.

Step 4

Record the actions taken on the previous meeting's minutes. One of the first courses of business in a regular meeting is the approval or modification of the previous meeting's minutes.

Step 5

Record each motion and any actions taken. The name of anyone making a motion in the meeting should be recorded, along with the result of the motion, such as approval or denial. If there is a vote, the count of the vote should be included as well.

Step 6

List any notices given at the meeting.

Step 7

Record points of order and appeals. A point of order is a pause in a meeting agenda brought about by a possible break in the rules of parliamentary procedure. Typically, the chairman of the meeting is called upon to resolve any points of order or appeals. If the chairman of the meeting gives reasons for any rulings, those should be reported.

Step 8

Attach any reports given during the meeting to the minutes. Take note in the minutes if any reports are attached.

Step 9

Note the time of adjournment of the meeting.

Step 10

Submit the minutes for official approval. Typically, minutes are approved at the following regular meeting.

Step 11

Place a copy of the officially approved minutes in the corporate file.

About the Author

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English from UCLA, John Csiszar earned a Certified Financial Planner designation and served 18 years as an investment adviser. Csiszar has served as a technical writer for various financial firms and has extensive experience writing for online publications.

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